Many people suffer from pain and discomfort associated with poor blood circulation in the legs. While poor circulation has been associated with increased age and reduced mobility, more and more people are encountering leg circulatory problems at a younger age. Many such circulatory problems are associated with people whose jobs require long periods of sitting or people who exercise on an infrequent basis. Because large numbers of people are increasingly sedentary in their personal lives, have jobs that require sitting for long periods of time, and with a large percentage of the population increasing in age, there is a danger that severe leg circulatory problems will continue to develop at a rapid pace through an ever-increasing portion of the population.
Good circulation through the body and legs can be maintained by regular exercise, in particular, the exercise of walking. During walking, the flexing of the calf muscles act as a “muscle pump” or “blood pump” maintaining good blood circulation in the veins of the legs and especially in the feet. However, walking on a regular basis requires time and a certain amount of commitment. Other constraints further inhibit people from walking on a regular basis, such as weather, temperature, humidity, access to parks or sidewalks, and the current mobility of the exerciser.
Several indoor exercise devices can offer the convenience of exercising in the home, but these devices are often strenuous to operate and expensive to purchase. Further, such devices are not feasible for use while at work or sitting for long periods of time. Often such devices are complex, cumbersome, and expensive.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that exercises the feet and legs that can be used from a seated position. Further, there is a need for a leg exerciser that can be used at home or at work and which is not strenuous to operate.